Birthday Baking

I’ve been deliberating on how to ensure Nerea gets a homemade birthday cake in Spain and I think I’ve solved it.  I’m going to bake her a carrot cake in a mini loaf tin which Alex can take when he flies out to Spain early on Friday morning to see her.  My visit to Crewe, involving an overnight stay, and Andy’s visit to Reading tomorrow means that the baking must be done tonight but as carrot cake is pretty good at “keeping”, I think it’ll survive.  And even if it arrives in crumbs, it’s the thought that counts, isn’t it?

Job done!

Winter Roosting

This evening, I took Molly for her walk just as light was fading.  Suddenly, the sky overhead was filled with a raucous, cacophonous, swirling mass of crows preparing for their nightly roost.  For several minutes I stood, watching order arise out of chaos as birds flew in from all points of the compass, drawn to the trees lining the River Eden. I can’t say that I’ve ever really listened to the chattering of the highly social birds before, but tonight, it felt as if I’d stumbled into a dormitory of highly excited children on their first night away from home

Bradders' Bakery

Should I be worried? Andy has decided to take up baking, inspired by the recent Great British Bake-Off.  He recently announced his intention of making a Bakewell Tart and although he’s an excellent cook, he’s not a widely experienced baker so I thought that his choice might be overly ambitious.   I’m delighted to say the results were excellent, the only issue being that in the recipe he used, the almond flavour wasn’t very strong. He then baked a delicious chocolate and mocha loaf which was equally successful and incredibly tasty. My reign as Queen of the kitchen may be over!

BAKEWELL TART

PASTRY

125g plain flour

75g unsalted butter , cold and diced

25g caster sugar

1 egg yolk

1 egg white

FILLING

2 heaped tbsp raspberry jam

150g unsalted butter , at room temperature

150g caster sugar

2 tsp almond essence

3 eggs , beaten

1 egg yolk

150g ground almonds

1 lemon , zested

1 tbsp flaked almonds

1. To make the pastry, tip the flour, butter and sugar into a food processor with a pinch of salt. Whizz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and 1 tsp of cold water and pulse until the dough comes together. Flatten into a disc, cover with clingfilm and chill for no more than 1 hour. n Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thickness. Line a 20cm fluted tart tin with a depth of 31/2 cm. Prick the base with a fork and chill for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

2. Line the pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Cook for about 20 minutes until the pastry is a pale golden colour. Take out the beans, brush the inside of the pastry case with a little egg white and cook for a further 2 minutes. Cool slightly.

3. Spread the jam in an even layer over the base of the pastry case. Cream together the butter and caster sugar. Gradually add the beaten eggs and egg yolk. Fold in the ground almonds, almond essence and lemon zest. Carefully spoon the mixture over the jam and spread out levelly

4.  Bake for 20 minutes. Scatter with the flaked almonds and continue to cook for a further 15-20 minutes until golden and set.

5. Cool to room temperature, dust with icing sugar and serve with pouring cream or custard.

 Mocha Marbled Loaf Cake

For the Cake

250g unsalted butter, softened

250g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large free-range eggs, at room  temperature, beaten

250g self-raising flour

pinch of salt

For the chocolate mixture

30g cocoa powder

2 tablespoons milk

For the coffee mixture

1 tablespoon instant coffee powder or  granules, dissolved in 1 tablespoon   boiling water

2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips

For the ganache

100g good-quality white chocolate

80ml whipping cream

20g unsalted butter

cocoa powder

1x 900g loaf tin, about 26x 12.5x 7.5cm, greased and lined with a long strip of greaseproof paper

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

Put the butter into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a large freestanding electric mixer. Beat with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until very creamy. Gradually beat in the sugar, then the vanilla. Keep beating (scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time) until the mixture is much lighter in colour and very fluffy in texture.

2. Gradually add the eggs, a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 1 tablespoon of the weighed flour with each of the last 2 portions of egg, to prevent the mixture from curdling.

3. Sift the remaining flour and the salt into the bowl and gently fold in using a large metal spoon until you can no longer see any streaks or specks of flour.

4. Transfer half the sponge mixture to a second mixing bowl. Sift the cocoa powder onto one portion of sponge mixture, add the milk and fold in until completely mixed, with no streaks of cocoa.

5. Add the cooled coffee liquid into the other portion of sponge mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.

6. Spoon both mixtures into the prepared tin, adding a spoonful of each alternately and scattering the chocolate chips over the mixture between each layer. Gently bang the tin on the worktop to eliminate any pockets of air, and gently smooth the surface. Marble the 2 mixtures by drawing a chopstick or round-bladed knife through them, swirling it.

7. Bake for 1–1 ¼ hours until well risen and a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set the tin on a wire rack and cool for 20 minutes, then carefully turn out the cake and leave to cool completely.

8. For the ganache: finely chop the chocolate into even-sized pieces and put into a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream and butter until hot but not boiling, then pour in a slow, steady stream over the chopped chocolate. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes, then stir gently until melted and smooth and glossy.

9. Leave to cool and thicken, then stir gently – don’t overbeat or the mixture will separate. Spread the ganache over the top of the cake and finish with a dusting of cocoa powder.

TIP:  Keep it simple and finish the un-iced cake with a dusting of icing sugar and then the cocoa powder

Windy walking

It was a beautiful but bleak day in the hills yesterday. The rapid overnight thaw was a surprise but there was enough snow to leave us with the exhilarating thrill that comes from crossing virgin snow, the icy crust breaking with a satisfying crunch underfoot.  The light was ethereal at times as the clouds scudded across the sky at an alarming rate, evidence of a powerful jet-stream high above us, orchestrating the weather. High on the fell we fought against its destructive power, the wind whipping our faces and tearing relentlessly at our clothes as we returned from the summit.

Snowy memories

Is it so wrong for me to be a little disappointed that we are without snow when the rest of the country is blanketed in a duvet of white?

I know wintry weather can bring misery to those who travel, work outside or become housebound but my inner-self dreams of snowmen and sledging.  I suspect it’s because some of my happiest memories involve snow: wonderful ski-ing holidays with family and friends, the musical laughter of children making snow angels, ably assisted by over-excited dogs and once, an unforgettable, moonlit bonfire when we were serenaded by a haunting chorus of wolf-song.

The flock is almost complete........

Nerea's birth sampler

Mum's Fire Screen

The Flock!

The women in my family have all followed a sewing tradition. My mother and her sisters created  beautiful embroideries as family heirlooms. High blood pressure when I was expecting Nerea forced me to relax with needle and thread and Nerea is now an accomplished cross-stitcher too.  Sampler sewing particularly appeals to me as the symbolism calls to my inner historian.  But I have a guilty secret. Started over 20 years ago, I still haven’t  finished “The SHEEP, the partially completed ovines offering a subtle reproach every time I start something new. UNTIL NOW.  FOR I AM COMMITTED TO FINISHING IT 

Did I tell you I love our log stove?

Molly loves it too. (Ignore the empty shelves and bare plaster, please)

In times of austerity, it’s the simple pleasures in life that make a difference.  This winter, it’s been a joy to indulge in the warm luxury of our log stove.  Although I’m the self-appointed  fire lighter, Andy knows how much I love coming home to a glowing fire so if l’ve been working late , he’ll make magic,  creating a cosy and welcoming  living room  for my return. I can usually tell if the flames are dancing before I reach the garden gate, as the tell-tale fragrance of wood smoke assaults my nostrils as I cycle along the back lane       

Carrock Fell

It was a snowy summit that greeted us at the top of Carrock Fell.   Our original plans had been to go up Rossett Ghyll in search of The Packwoman’s Grave but as we headed south, it was evident that  the wintery weather scheduled for tomorrow was on its way to Cumbria rather earlier.  We headed instead for the Caldbeck Fells and one of our favourite walks up Carrock.  Robin and Cathryn hadn’t been subjected to the thigh burning ascent from the road before.  But the effort was worth it as they found the geocache hidden near the Iron Age fort

Only 79 days to Easter........

There’s something disconcerting about stumbling across Easter Egg displays when our Christmas decoration boxes are still in the dining room, waiting to be put away in the under-stairs cupboard.  My pathetic excuse for that is that we resolutely keep the 12th night tradition so we’re still within the acceptable window for returning them from whence they came.  But  our personal, dilatory attitude to closing down Christmas still doesn't excuse a head- long consumerist scramble merely days after the recent festive fervour finished, towards the next religious celebration that’s been overtaken by secular excess.    Now, where are the Hot Cross Buns?

Shopping at its worst

I’m no shopper but I agreed to take Nerea to the Trafford Centre the day before her  flight back to Spain.  I was traumatised in the vast, artificial wilderness.  The frenetic exchange of money, saved or borrowed, for material possessions essential for happiness, left an unpalatable taste in my mouth.  After fighting our way through unseeing crowds to buy the shoes we’d gone to purchase, Nerea and I were glad of a coffee respite.  The obvious need for instant gratification was palpable, the bustling, pseudo New Orleans Street, accurately mirroring the superficial facade of many aspects of our daily  lives

A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future

Alas, the Christmas holidays went all too quickly and it seemed like no time before we were back at the airport saying “farewell” to Nerea.  Inevitably, we both shed a few years but we had to “man up” and at the risk of appearing clichéd, remember the “Love is …..putting on a smiley face” cartoon.  Because it’s all about letting go!  And it’s hard.  I never appreciated how difficult it could be for a parent until I had Nerea….and although that’s how it should be, it’s a bitter-sweet experience of pride in her youthful  independence intermingled with sadness and loss

Happy New Year

I like beginnings.  It’s an opportunity to draw a line under the frustrations and failures of the past and start anew with hope and anticipation.  I suppose that‘s why so many of us like new notebooks, diaries and make New Year resolutions.  But the secret is in keeping optimistic once the initial novelty has worn off.  If I knew a fail-safe solution to that challenge, I’d be a rich woman.  But I don’t and I’m not.  But, I have a cunning plan.  I've decided to try something different  each month alongside my unexciting resolutions as a way of maintaining enthusiasm